NumberTheoryBasic Basic
2014


Problem - 527
Julia's age is a two-digit multiple of $5$, and when Julia's age is divided by $2$, $3$, $4$, $6$ or $8$, the remainder is always $1$. If Julia is five times as old as Bart, how old is Bart?

Answer     5

It is easy to see that Julia's age must be a common multiple of $2$, $3$, $4$, $6$ plus one, i.e. $24k + 1$ where $k$ is a positive integer. Meanwhile it must be a multiple of $5$. Because $24$ is an even number, in order for $24k+1$ is a multiple of $5$, $24k$ must end with $4$. Clearly $k=1$ is a solution. $k=6$ is the next solution, but will result in a three-digit number. Hence $k=1$ is the only solution. Julia's age is $25$, Hence, Bart is $\boxed{5}$ year old.

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